


What makes a treasure a treasure?

by Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness



Series: Cullrian Tumblr Prompts [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Cullen is a Pirate, Dorian is a mermaid, M/M, Me likey me booties, Tumblr Prompt, alcohol mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 06:30:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7563856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness/pseuds/Cap_Sweet_And_Salty_Sadness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I swear to ye, cap'n, a tail was squirming in th’ net!”</p><p>“Ye be sure ‘tis not th’ rum makin’ ye imagine thin’s again, matey?”</p><p>“No, Cap’n, I just had a wee bit o’ spiced grog before we spotted th’ merchants’ ship.”</p><p>“Aye, if ye say so, ye salty see bass.”</p><p>“And he’s naked as a wee laddie!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	What makes a treasure a treasure?

**Author's Note:**

> I was asked for a Mermaid AU on Tumblr, and you could say I got a little bit ahead of myself with the pirate slangs.
> 
> I'm [Captain Amoruca](http://captain-amoruca.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr.

“I swear to ye, cap'n, a tail was squirming in th’ net!”

“Ye be sure ‘tis not th’ rum makin’ ye imagine thin’s again, matey?”

“No, Cap’n, I just had a wee bit o’ spiced grog before we spotted th’ merchants’ ship.”

“Aye, if ye say so, ye salty see bass.”

“And he’s naked as a wee laddie!”

Dorian groaned as he came back to himself, blinking at the bright blue sky and the sun perched high. He was caught in a fish net, the rough material digging into his skin. He began to pry himself free, not wishing to stay trapped a moment longer.

The two men continued to talk, observing him without meaning to help. These humans and their odd way of communicating together. He successfully untangled his arms and was working on his legs when his long hair was painfully pulled back. He found himself staring at the sun-tanned face of a blond man, light brown eyes almost golden. He sported many scars, one crossing his top lip.

“How did ye manage to escape th’ ship? We sent all on board below to Davy Jones’booty chest ‘n set it on fire.”

“I was not on it.” Dorian’s voice was rough from disuse, and the odd angle of his neck was making speak even more difficult, but he wouldn’t be scared by this human.

“Nah on it?” The man swept his gaze down his body, then let go of his hair to pull him out of the fish net. He patted his bare legs with a large and calloused hand, and Dorian retained a gasp of pleasure. His lower half was very sensitive, to say the least. “Feel real t’ me… Ya havn’t a scratch on ye.”

“Nothing but my dignity is bruised.” He attempted to rise up, but was swiftly pushed back down by the Captain. The other pirates had begun to gather around them on the bridge, like scavengers attracted by death.

“Arrr, avast ye scurvy dogs, back to yer work!” The blond man shouted, the men scrambling to obey him. “Ye too, Jack o’ Coins, I be taking care of ‘tis one.”

“Aye aye, Cap’n.”

Dorian had been protecting his dignity with a part of the net, trying very hard to ignore the stares of the others on him as they cleared the area. He swiped his wet hair behind his shoulder, sitting up without being pushed back this time. It had been to hide him from the crew’s eyes, he realized.

“As much as I’d like ye to walk around naked, I’ll give ye my shirt.” Dorian thought he would fetch one for him, but instead the man began to remove his belt and hat and took the one right off his back, his ripped muscles bulging with the movement. This human was very attractive, Dorian reckoned as he put on the shirt without a protest, the Captain’s scent embedding it. It wasn’t as long as he wished it was, but it was better than walking naked around these pirates, most of them probably quite lonely.

“Ye’re not from the merchant ship we just commandeered, are ya?” The captain asked, his voice low. He approached Dorian once he stood and grabbed his arm, staring down at him. Dorian’s legs hurt, and he actually was grateful for the hold on him when he felt himself wobble a bit.

“I see you aren’t Captain just for your good looks.”

“What be ye?”

Dorian smiled, showing teeth longer than humans’. “Why would I tell you?”

“’Cause I could either throw ye into th’ cargo for a few days, or… I could let ye be off.”

Dorian stared at him, trying to see beyond his smirk and into the intonation of his words. If he revealed what he was, the Captain may very well still keep him captive to sell him as some captured trophies, and he never wished to belong to anyone again.

“I heard that you should never trust a Pirate.”

“But I ain’t any pirate, lass, I’m Captain Cullen Rutherford.”

“Very well, Captain Rutherford,” Dorian took in a breath. “If you must know, I am what you pirates call a Mermaid. I was attending to my own activities in the sea when an I was hit by something, probably a part of the ship you burnt. You know the rest.”

The hold on his arm loosened. “Well shiver me timbers!” Cullen laughed loudly, then lifted him up in his arms. Dorian held to him with a yelp, but all Cullen did was help him get on the edge of the ship, keeping most of his weight against his large frame. His legs dangled out, his freedom so close.

“Hop ye be off, me harty mermaid,” Cullen said lightly. Dorian blinked at him, unsure if this would be this easy. Deciding it hardly mattered at this point, he leaned his head and kissed him softly, almost a brush of his lips against the captain’s chapped ones.

“Thank you.”

“Brin’ me back a lost booty chest and we’ll be even.”

Dorian chuckled. “I’ll see what I can do.”

With a little push, he was falling. He shifted, his landing in the water done almost soundlessly, and the mermaid disappeared into its depths with a last flourish of two large, sparkling golden fins.

**Author's Note:**

> “What makes a treasure a treasure is how rare a find it is, when you need it the most.” by Jodi Picoult


End file.
